Daniel 10:1
in Daniel 10In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it concerned a great conflict. And the understanding of the message was given to him in a vision.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.
KJV
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.
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This verse in Daniel 10
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia - In regard to Cyrus, see the notes at Isa 41:2. In Dan 1:21, it is said that “Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.” But it is not necessarily implied in that passage that he “died” then. It may mean only that he continued in authority, and was employed, in various ways, as a public officer, until that time. See the note at that passage.
This site's exposition
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia
on Daniel 10:1-3
The final vision comes in the third year of Cyrus, after the decree of Ezra 1 has already let a remnant go up, and the thing revealed is called true and the time appointed long, the corridor of chapters eleven and twelve now opened. Daniel mourns three full weeks, eating no pleasant bread, no flesh or wine, using no oil, a partial fast the bench connects to the resistance already raised against the rebuilding recorded at Ezra 4, grief over a work begun and then hindered. The date, the twenty-fourth of the first month, sets the vision just after Israel's own Passover season, the feast of the exodus kept while Daniel fasts over a second exodus stalled.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Verse 1. "In the third year of Cyrus, King of the Persians, a word was revealed unto Daniel, who was surnamed Belteshazzar, and it was a true word and great strength. For there is need of understanding in a vision." And how is it that we read at the end of the first vision, "And Daniel lived until the first year of Cyrus the King"?
To some it seems that Daniel is mistaken about the time and the one writing the book from the beginning puts "in the third year" instead of "in the first year." And the proof of this is that the blessed Daniel says right after the …
Quite suitably he calls it "a word" and "a vision." He saw holy angels; he also heard them conversing and from them learned accurately the things that would happen. And he says that the word was "true" so that all might receive the things about …
In this way, after speaking these things, the prophet describes to us again another vision. For the blessed Daniel meditated on no other vision, lest he not be accurately taught all the things to come and he not teach and reveal these things to us again. Indeed he says, "In the third year of Cyrus king of the Persians a word was revealed to Daniel, who was called the name Baltasar, and the word was true and great power and understanding was given to him in the vision. 'In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three weeks of days, I did not eat desirable bread and meat and wine did not enter my mouth and I did not anoint myself with oil for three full weeks of days. On the twenty and fourth day of the first month.'" [Daniel 10:1-4] "I was humbled," he says, "twenty one days praying to the living God requesting from him the revealing of mysteries." And then, after the Father heard, he sent his Word, thus pointing out what is about to happen through him and then that it would happen along the Great River. For the event is necessary to have happened there where the Son was demonstrated, where also he was about to forgive sins.
The Medieval Church1 voice
It is evident that Daniel lived up to the third year [of Cyrus] and beyond, even though at the beginning of the book we read "until the first year of the king Cyrus."
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia,....
Nay, and because it is usual with the prophets to glance at things spiritual and eternal, there is that in this prophecy which looks in type as far forward as to the end of the world and the resurrection of the dead; and then he might well say, The time appointed was long.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; for in Da 1:21, it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus"; not that he died then. See on Da 1:21. but the time appointed was long--rather, "it (that is, the prophecy) referred to great calamity" [MAURER]; or, "long and calamitous warfare" [GESENIUS].
In the third year of Cyrus - Which answers to the first year of Darius the Mede. The time appointed was long - וצבא גדול vetsaba gadol, but the warfare long; there will be many contentions and wars before these things can be accomplished.
Modern Voices1 voice
In Daniel 10, it had been three years since Cyrus released the captives to return and advance the reformation in Jerusalem and yet Daniel remains a servant in Persia.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּשְׁנַ֣ת | bishnat | in year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| שָׁל֗וֹשׁ | shaloosh | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ | lekhoresh | of Cyrus | H3566 → | |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| פָּרַ֔ס | paras | Persia | H6539 → | 28 times |
| דָּבָר֙ | davar | a word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| נִגְלָ֣ה | niglah | it was revealed | H1540 → | |
| לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל | ledaniyel | to Daniel | H1840 → | 24 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִקְרָ֥א | nikra' | it had been called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר | beleteshatzar | Belteshazzar | H1095 → | |
| וֶאֱמֶ֤ת | veemet | and [was] truth | H571 → | 127 times |
| הַדָּבָר֙ | hadavar | the word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| וְצָבָ֣א | vetzava' | and a war | H6635 → | 485 times |
| גָד֔וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וּבִין֙ | uvin | and he understood | H995 → | 170 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדָּבָ֔ר | hadavar | the word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| וּבִ֥ינָה | uvinah | and understanding | H998 → | 38 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | [belonged] to him | ||
| בַּמַּרְאֶֽה׃ | bamareh | by the vision | H4758 → | 103 times |
בִּשְׁנַ֣תin year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
שָׁל֗וֹשׁthree
shalooshH7969 →432 times
לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙of Cyrus
lekhoreshH3566 →
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
פָּרַ֔סPersia
parasH6539 →28 times
דָּבָר֙a word
davarH1697 →1440 times
נִגְלָ֣הit was revealed
niglahH1540 →
לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אלto Daniel
ledaniyelH1840 →24 times
אֲשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נִקְרָ֥אit had been called
nikra'H7121 →733 times
שְׁמ֖וֹname his
shemoH8034 →864 times
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑רBelteshazzar
beleteshatzarH1095 →
וֶאֱמֶ֤תand [was] truth
veemetH571 →127 times
הַדָּבָר֙the word
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
וְצָבָ֣אand a war
vetzava'H6635 →485 times
גָד֔וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
וּבִין֙and he understood
uvinH995 →170 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַדָּבָ֔רthe word
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
וּבִ֥ינָהand understanding
uvinahH998 →38 times
ל֖וֹ[belonged] to him
lo
בַּמַּרְאֶֽה׃by the vision
bamarehH4758 →103 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 1:17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 3:12
behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you.
- James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Job 32:8
But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
- Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
- Daniel 2:23
To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have made known to me what we have requested, for You…
- 1 Kings 3:12
Through
Daniel 8:26The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been spoken is true. Now you must seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
it leads to
- Daniel 12:9
“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
- Daniel 10:14
Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.”
- Daniel 12:9
Through
Daniel 1:7The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
it leads to
- Daniel 5:12
did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon…
- Daniel 5:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Daniel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.36.1-4; Ishodad of Merv, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 10:1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jane Hamon, Resisting the Prince Of Persia; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TEN; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 10:1.